


All Hail the End of an Era

by rororat



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Execution, Kings AU, Mad King Ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 08:38:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3404156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rororat/pseuds/rororat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the mad king stands - or rather sits - in his final hours, is he as mad as his friends assume him to be?</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Hail the End of an Era

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: there is death, along with self inflicted wounds, and major mentions of blood
> 
> This is my first pic I'm posting, so constructive criticism would be amazing to see! Promise I won't be mad at anything you have to say. :3
> 
> Either way, sorry for anything immensely bad, but thanks for taking the time to read through it anyway!  
> Have a great day!

“Former King James Ryan Haywood, you stand before what remains of your council upon your final hours, do you wish to speak for your wrongdoings, or would you rather leave this world with sealed lips?”

The aforementioned ex-king looked up from his position upon the floor, only to glare at the men he once stood next to as equals.

Geoff stood before him having just addressed him with arms crossed across his chest. His tired eyes betrayed his angered and impatient expression.

To Geoff’s left stood Jack, refusing to make eye contact with Ryan. If Ryan could have seen his eyes, there would be no doubt that pain and grief would show through his once joyous brown eyes. He could still see the singed hairs on the unusually shortened beard of his friend. A voice in the back of his mind spoke through his running thoughts, _‘You did that to him, all you caused him was pain after years of his misguided friendship.’_

Ryan swiftly shook his head to force away the cries of his conscious that spoke through the onslaught of clouding thoughts, _‘Betrayal’ ‘Pain’ ‘You did this’ ‘Can’t fix what you have done’._

To Geoff’s right was where he would have stood, if not for him being shamelessly thrown to the ground before the top guards. Ryan ponders who will stand up and fill his position. _Perhaps one of the lads? Gavin never was one for the knights hood, but I don't quite think he has the head for politics…_

A sharp nudge from the hilt of a sword interrupted his inner monologue from behind him. Ryan quickly turned around to glare at the accused. Michael bared his teeth at him with a low almost inhuman growl escaping past his lips, and the glint of something bestial flashing over his eyes. “Well? You gonna speak or can we get this over with?”

Readjusting from his position on the floor, Ryan once again looked forward to greet Geoff with a cold expression. Slowly, unsure of himself, Ryan cast his gaze down and began to mumble to the cold tiles. The same tiles that would soon be bathed in blood. _His blood._

“Speak up! If you got something to say, better say it before we have to call in the clean up crew. Well, that is if we still had a clean up crew.” Geoff barked, venom lacing every word he spoke.

“I Said,” Ryan began, having found his words, “Why am I to be killed? What am I being sentenced for?”

“Wot?” Gavin exclaimed, “Final words, and your gunna go asking what it is you've done? As though you don’t already know!” Gavin yelled, fuming at Ryan’s request. His words left to linger in the air filled with hatred and anger you could practically see steaming off of him.

“Calm down Gavin.” Jack said, speaking for the first time through the entire ordeal. His gaze didn't change though, as though he found the torn banner hung on one of the many damaged wall much more appealing.

“You want to know what it is you have done Ryan? Is high treason not enough? What about murder, is that enough explanation?” Geoff said, resisting every urge to not approach Ryan as he sat on the ground.

A shiver runs down Ryan’s spine at the mention of murder. Treason was nothing to him at this point, but murder was different. He knew it was all true. He could deny the treasony, say it was for the greater good, but no amount of denial could bring back the life of another. Especially the life of a loved one.

“I mean,” Ryan begun, his voice seeming to betray his as it begun to shake with fear, “why is it you see me fit to die for these acts. Even if a man murders in our kingdom, he is not sentenced to death, but rather imprisoned, or banished.” Ryan supplied.

“Because imprisonment is too good for you, we all know you hold no remorse to your actions. And if we banish you, who’s to say you won’t go and do this all again?” Michael said behind him, his grip on his sword growing with impatience.

“Michael, remain calm.” Jack warned, still refusing to look towards any of them.

Ryan did feel remorse for his actions, but at this point, he was willing to greet death with open hands. He would prefer it to letting insanity grab hold of him like it would if he was left to stew in the dungeon cells. Much like how his friends believe had already occurred.

“Just humor me then.” Ryan said, acting as though he took joy in his actions. If they decided to imprison him, rather than just end him, well, Ryan just didn't know what he would do then.

“Would you like a numbered list? You are not only a corrupt king, but a corrupted man! Just look at Michael behind you! You’re the reason hes like this, too much anger and he loses control, just like one of the many monsters you wanted! A beast of your creation, and not the only one.” At those words the room fell silent. Without looking back, Ryan knew Gavin had begun to fold in upon himself, just as he always did when Kerry was ever mentioned.

“Human torture, or ‘experimentation’ as you called it,” Geoff continued, “that's the least of your crimes. Look at your hands Ryan, look at the blood shed they have caused.”

Ryan had to use every ounce of control, not cry, or to yell back at Geoff. This was never what he had wanted. His words made Ryan out to a heartless bastard, but how wrong were his words?

“Our kingdom was grand, prosperous, the largest in numbers next to Morsum-Galli. Now, just the number of people in this room makes up a quarter of those in our kingdom. Tell me Ryan, can you even remember all those you killed? All those you have lead to their demise? Remember Matt? The royal kennel master? Or where you too blind by insanity to realize who you were killing at that point.” Geoff said, the last sentence was not intended to be a question, as much as a fact.

Geoff waited for Ryan to answer, but continued when nothing was given.

“What about Jeremy? Kdin? Lindsay? Caleb? Caiti? Meg? Even Griffon.” Geoff spat each of the names as though they left a bitter taste in his mouth, thinking of times past. Nothing more than diminishing memories now. “They were your friends, like us. Or are we nothing more than pawns to you? Expendable. To think there was a time I thought highly of you.” Geoff turned his back to Ryan.

As the silence grew, a soft sob could be heard from behind Ryan. He hadn't noticed Gavin beginning to cry, or for how long he had been letting the large tears well up into the corners of his eyes.

No one made a move, knowing what Geoff was going to mention next. “What about the one of us that’s missing? You two were rather close as I recall.” Geoff said, raising an eyebrow at Ryan, who could no longer face the man. “Then again, when someone is close to somebody, they don’t usually go out of their way to kill that person.” Geoff finished with a stern nod, before again turning his back to Ryan.

Ryan physical felt the a pain resonate through his heart, just at the mention of Ray, and the pain he had caused for all of them. The puerto rican had been the last to think Ryan was still himself, the only one to reach out and try to aid him. When Ray finally fell, so did Ryan.

The pain he felt for his lost friend was only paired with the feeling of a blade piercing through his abdomen. Looking down he saw the diamond blade now doned with the crimson of his blood upon its jagged cuttings.

The room began to swim, and time began to slow. He felt the hot breath of Michael against his ear as he whispered, “All hail the Mad King.” adding a swift turn of his sword, before ripping it back out of him.

With a pained grunt, Ryan began to sway at his spot on the cold floor. Despite the pain it caused him, he gave a slow and low chuckle. Looking up to no one in particular he breathed out, “All hail, the end of an era.”

As blackness began consume his vision, he noticed Jack look at him, with a face of pure terror downed upon his features.

Then came the sweet sound of everlasting silence.

~.~.~

Michael watched as blood slipped through the cracks in the tile. He heard Gavin give a slight retch from behind him at the sight of red oozing past his feet, and the smell of copper begun to waver into the air.

Breathing slowly to remain calm, he reached down to his former friend who laid motionless upon the floor. Clasping his hand upon the corpse’s shoulder, Michael turned over the body to stare in the lifeless eyes of the former king, just as Michael had witnessed Ryan do on several occasions with those he had known well.

As Michael looked into the pale blue eyes, that were beginning to fog over, he noticed red markings laying just on Ryan’s upper chest.

Retrieving his sword once more, Michael cut away the royal garbs that were now becoming dyed a slick maroon color.

Michael studied the numerous cuts that were scattered across his chest, some still raw, while many seemed to have been scabbing or even scarred over. What appeared to be several dozen names spread across his chest and down his sides, and seemed to go down to any area that could remain hidden by clothing.

The others soon noticed Michael standing over Ryan, where the large gaping bloodied hole remained exposed.

“Michael don't go poking around at the wound, have some respect, he was a friend, at least for a little bit.” Jack said, his words seeming to die on his lips.

One by one, the other seemed to notice the names that laid etched into the man, many small common names were seen; Rose, Jonathan, Bruce, Lily. But a few stood out to them all. These names were significantly larger than the others, and seemed to have been cut deep into the skin.

The names of those who had died, while Ryan had taken to the throne. From ailing farmers, to those whose final pleas Ryan had caused. Every person to fall during his command laid painstakingly etched into Ryan’s red tender flesh.

On the right side of Ryan’s upper chest sat several deep wounds. One name that look particularly painful, and was the largest of the names sat over where Ryan’s heart no longer beated. It looked as though the wound had been reopened several times before. Michael stretched out his hand and let it fall and rest on the name.

 

_ Ray. _

**Author's Note:**

> Anything I need to fix?  
> Anything you want to mention to me?  
> Want to just say hello?
> 
> Please do tell, I would love to hear.


End file.
